Yahoo, Apple and Google are Abusing your Trust

The idea of bundling software has been around for quite some time. For years AOL links and icons were bundled with just about everything. Here though it was merely icons and links attached to more frivolous applications. The recent trend with Malware force installing itself is much worse. This happening hidden from view, during a regular application's install has angered just about everyone who discovered it. But now companies are targeting the basic applications that make your computer work. They are abusing the trust built up with the fact that you are not likely to pay attention when installing basic applications from reputable companies.

Trust (Defined) -Firm reliance on the integrity, ability, or character of a person or thing.

If someone like myself can accidentally install something bundled with an application that I have been using for years, then you can definitely bet on the average user doing it. What is worse is that they may actually think they need it. This can create a social engineering problem. "Old habits Die Hard" they always say. Here companies like Yahoo, Apple and Google create them by bundling their applications with Macromedia Flash, Apple QuickTime, WinZip, Realplayer and Adobe Reader. Sure some of these applications have an opt-out option not to install the unwanted parasite but that is not the point. I simply don't want to worry about this.

The average user is not only plagued by the Spyware epidemic but is now becoming a pawn for all the "legal" companies. They are getting hit from both ends and the sad part is they don't even know it. You expect this sort of thing from the Malware writers. People might even say you expect this from Microsoft. But Yahoo, Apple and especially Google? What happened to the White Knights?

Maintaining Trust:
If you want to maintain the trust that you may have worked so long to build up then you need to follow some simple rules:

1. Bundled Software should NEVER be default installed. Instead it should be an option to select.
2. Bundled Software should easily be uninstallable separately from the host application.

Only the Beginning:
From Toolbars to iTunes customer's Harddrives look to become the dumping ground for many more unwanted applications. I mean why stop with Toolbars or a Desktop search application, especially when you can hide behind an opt-out notice? How long before programs of significant size and CPU cycles start winding up on your harddrive? The kicker being they were all installed "legally", only this time it is YOUR fault for not paying attention.

QuickTime infects PCs with iTunes

Apple apparently is attempting to remove any shred of good faith it had with its customers. For sometime now Apple has chosen to force end users who wish to install their QuickTime Media Player to also install the iTunes software. As if the only MP3 player in existence is the iPod and every PC owner has one, shame on you Apple.

Visiting the default QuickTime Download Site greets you with only two options:

1. QuickTime 6.5 with iTunes for Win 2000/XP
2. QuickTime 6.5 for Win 98/ME

No big deal right? You figure during installation you will have a choice to NOT install iTunes, wrong. Fine you can't do that, how about using Add/Remove and removing iTunes by itself? Wrong again, Add/Remove only lists one application for removal, QuickTime. The problem doesn't really start to sink in until you try uninstalling QuickTime as a last resort…

…after you're done with your expletives and putting your fist through your keyboard you will see QuickTime has been removed but iTunes still exists. At this point you realized Apple has officially wasted your time and I will not waste any more of yours.

Solution:
You need to download and install the iTunes Software and then uninstall it. iTunes and the crap iTunes Service it installs with it, will be effectively purged from your system. The problem is you still don't have QuickTime installed!

Not a problem, simply get the Standalone QuickTime Player. (Conveniently not obvious on the default download page)

Alternatives:
Yes you can use an alternative, in this case the QuickTime Alternative. But, in my opinion, there is not substitute for the real thing. For the most part QuickTime works and does what it is supposed to do with a clean, easy to use interface.

Closing Tip:
Killing Qttask.exe: QuickTime by default installs the Qttask.exe startup application that is effectively useless. Removing it from starting up with Windows by using Msconfig will only last until the next time you use the QuickTime Player. It will then magically reinstall itself. You can stop this from happening permanently by renaming qttask.exe in the C:\Program Files\QuickTime\ folder to qttask.old

The only logical motive for Apple to force install iTunes is with the hope people will use the service to purchase music. By not providing a simple means to remove the software however, Apple has moved their reputation from reputable to dirty, shame on you Apple.

iPod Overrated?

For a tech toy praised up and down as being the "best" MP3 player, how has everyone managed to miss its shortcomings?

I started out shopping for an MP3 player as a Christmas Gift over the holidays and wound up reading hundreds of reviews on all the available players. After much thought I narrowed the features that the player had to have:

1. Support MP3 bit rate of 192 Kbps or higher.
2. Drag and Drop File transfer both ways (no software)
3. Universal File Storage (not just MP3s)
4. User Replaceable Battery (Either Rechargeable or Standard)

The MP3 bit rate is often overlooked except in regards to audiophiles who understand this or just have better hearing? Generally MP3's with a bit rate below 192 Kbps when played on standard audio equipment (stereo) will exhibit numerous sound flaws including the potential lack of stereo sound. Some may argue that on very high end equipment 192 Kbps is still not good enough but I would argue that is the best mix of quality to size. Then of course you have the various encoding formats vs. bit rate but again the average person cannot tell the difference. The iPod supports up to 320 Kbps, so we are fine there.

I then narrowed down the common features that every player had but you would choose based on how you would use the player, debatable features:

1. Rechargeable Battery or Replaceable Battery
2. Harddrive or Memory Stick

This article is NOT debating these two features since these are determined based on personal preference or finances (being able to afford a more expensive player and or constantly buying batteries), how much music you listen or want to take with you, and long term reliability (Memory Sticks will last longer then Harddrives, and rechargeable batteries will fail at some point). Regardless, I was sure I would be buying an iPod and all this research would just confirm what I initially thought. What I found was the exact opposite. The iPod was way overrated.

iPod's Achilles Heel:

1. Proprietary Software - This was a deal breaker, having to use proprietary software such as iTunes is just unacceptable, especially when it is completely unnecessary. Could you imagine if Microsoft released the mPod and you had to use winTunes to transfer the files to the player? There is absolutely no excuse for this. To make it worse files can only be copied one way with iTunes. Are you kidding me? You cannot take your iPod to a friends house and copy songs off of it or too another player. Yes there are hacks but this is not the point, numerous other players feature Drag and Drop both ways WITHOUT iTunes or ANY software.

2. Nonreplaceable Rechargeable Battery - Keyword is "nonreplaceable", at least not for the average user. Anyone that knows anything about electronics and rechargeable batteries is that at some point they will fail and need to be replaced.

This whole fiasco was brought to light a year and half ago: www.ipodsdirtysecret.com yet I never heard about it until I started doing this research and I am sure MANY iPod owners are unaware as well. Since that site went up iPod changed their battery replacement policy (below) and have improved the battery life on the new models to 18 hours.

Apples Replacement Policy:

Out-Of-Warranty PricingPrice includes:

Repair: $249.00 USD Replacement: labor, parts, and a 90-day guarantee on materials and workmanship, plus $6.95 USD shipping. $255.95 USD total.

Battery Service: $99.00 USD: labor, parts, and a 90-day guarantee on materials and workmanship, plus $6.95 shipping. $105.95 USD total.

Still, the iPod's battery is not easily replaceable by the end user. Excuses for this such as player size and design are unacceptable. Nor is it that other popular players feature the same bad design. My point is there are good players that do not.

Recently on vacation I found the iPod (and its variants) the most widely used and talked about MP3 player (which compelled me to write this). No one seems to know the shortcomings of the iPod, nor how massively overrated this player is. Simply put no one does any research. I recently heard on the morning news an anchor say, "Most people don't realize you have to install and configure software to get songs onto MP3 players" Unbelievable! Not only is this overrated player spreading huge misconceptions about MP3 players it is setting socially acceptable standards on bad design decisions.

Update:After extensive use with the interface I can honestly say it is one of the most idiotic and unintuitive ways to use a device. Moving in a circular motion to go up, down, left and right through menus is beyond maddening and nothing more then a trendy gimmick for Apple to show off their touch sensitive interface pad. I will never buy a device with unintuitive controls.